INFLUENCES OF PARENTS AND CHURCH ON ETHNIC IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AMONG SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANT YOUTH: A Qualitative Study Based on Youth Fellowship of Chinese Lutheran Church in Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to examine the extent to which parents and church (“Chinese Lutheran church in Helsinki metropolitan area” in context) influence the development of ethnic identity among second-generation Chinese youth, and figure out how parents and church influence their ethnic identity development. Six informants from 16-22 years old recruited from youth fellowship of Chinese Lutheran church in Helsinki area to reflect on their life experiences of being an immigrant living in Finland and the influences exerted on their ethnic identity development from parents and church. Both informants and their parents (except one informant’s parents) have been involving in Chinese Lutheran church intensively.

The multigroup ethnic identity measure (MEIM) and Pedagogies of the Home functioned as the frameworks in this study to construct the interview protocol, meanwhile, through the lens of framework to comprehend the results acquired from these one-to-one semi-structured interviews conducted with informants, in turn, to validate the existing research outcomes. After qualitative analysis process, results presented in this study proved the existing research outcomes that parents and ethnic community have profound influences on ethnic identity development among second-generation immigrant youth. Parent’s positive attitude and consistent efforts, cohesive relationships between parents, warm parenting, and active interaction with other Chinese fellows in church stemmed from both spiritual and social activities are crucial causes to enhance the ethnic identity of youth.